As we’ve been alluding to, the 2012 F30 3 series will be revealed mid-next month (Friday, October 14 to be exact) via online reveal, and live at a BMW press event. Autobild has posted the engine range that will be available for the F30 at launch, as follows:

Gasoline:
316i - 134hp
320i - 181hp
328i - 242hp (2.0L inline 4 cylinder twinpower turbo N20 motor) (US bound)
335i - 302hp (3.0L inline 6 cylinder twin turbo) (US bound)

Diesel (all turbocharged):
316d - 113hp
323d
*335d likely to come later

Hybrid:
3.0L gasoline engine + electric motor - 335hp (first spy photos)

F30 PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

The F30 3-series sedan will begin production in November 2011 (see chart below), shortly after the E90 3-series stops production in October. The F30 2012 … CONTINUED

Exciting news! After several sets of spy shots, we’re happy to finally share the very first spy video of the 2014 M3 Sedan, internally dubbed the F80. As usual, this video provides a much more dynamic impression of the car than photos. No surprise that the new M3 looks very planted as it’s sitting fairly low and shows no body roll in these (admittedly) urban driving scenes. Overall, the M3 with its M bumpers and bulging wheel arches looks pugnacious and much more aggressive than the F30 3-series in the F30 spy photos/videos.

What’s new in this video besides the live view and sounds? Looking at the F80 from behind, you can finally make out the limited slip differential and two mid pipes running from the engine … CONTINUED

BMW Individual, BMW’s bespoke optioning program, now has an app for the iPad. Providing an interactive experience, this app provides an innovative user interface which allows you to navigate through chapters that describe the premium BMW Individual range in detail. Per its description, “The wealth of customization options leaves you plenty of room for new inspiration, allowing you to realize your dream of the perfect automobile.”

Highlights:

- Interactive presentation that will surprise and delight you again and again.
- Fascinating and very realistic depiction of colors and materials.
- BMW Individual Visualizer.
- Image gallery: BMW Individual Manufactory.

EVO Magazine’s Chris Harris’ video review of the BMW F10 M5 has now been posted, following his initial print review.

After his initial drive, Harris called the 2012 BMW M5 “mostly awe-inspiring” and said that there is no other powertrain like this in a series production car. He called the F10 M5’s performance outrageous and gave it a full 5 star rating.

In this video, Harris posts and addresses the following main questions:

- Has it got any range (fuel)?
- Has it got torque?
- Can you not rev the tits off it and still go quite quickly?
- Does its gearbox want to break your neck everytime you change gears quickly?
- Can an M5 really be turbocharged?

Press Release:

The most powerful BMW M3 in the world: G-POWER M3 TORNADO RS with 720hp Supercharged V8. After the 635hp-strong G-POWER M3 GTS caused a stir with the trade press and automobile enthusiasts, G-POWER unleashes another technical tour de force with its most recent creation – the G-POWER M3 TORNADO RS with SK III „Sporty Drive“ Supercharger System.

As demonstrated in G-POWER’s Supercharger Systems for the legendary BMW V10, the full potential of high-revving BMW engines and G-POWER superchargers can only be achieved through significant modification of the base engine. Fortunately, the V8 in the current BMW M3 (E9x) is essentially a „shortened“ version of the BMW V10 engine that G-POWER modified to create its world-record setting, 800hp G-POWER M5 HURRICANE RR. Thus G-POWER is able … CONTINUED

Now that the F80 M3 sedan has been given the greenlight, our spies have spotted the F80 M3 continuing its public road testing. While the camouflage on the F80 prototype remains the same as before, we’ve got some more angles to share with you - a slightly higher-down look than before. The F80 M3 continues to show off its attractive proportions and shape, while looking more aggressive and ‘beefier’ than the standard F30 3 series due to its widened wheel arches, M styled front and rear bumpers and sideskirts, and quad exhaust. It does not yet show the sportier mirrors that the production version F80 will receive.

If you take a close look, we may be looking at a different front end on the F80 M3 than … CONTINUED

The now retired V10 S85 engine from the E60 M5 and E63/E64 M6 continues to live on in many a project car and in racing applications.

Long time BMW tuner, Dinan, has just finished development of a custom BMW S85 motor, which has been bored and stroked to 5.8L (from 5.0L). Combined with performance cams, dry sump oil system, a racing exhaust, and custom software tune, this hopped up engine produced 720hp (@8300rpm) and 497lb-ft (@6900rpm) on 98 octane race gas. It was designed for use in the Riley Technologies MkXXV track day car.

Check out the engine’s dyno video inside.

We’ve all seen plenty of photos of the new 2012 M5’s imposing biturbo V8 S63Tu engine, which produces a whopping 560hp. But what exactly are we seeing when we peek under the hood of the F10 M5? Here is an explanation of some of the components seen on the S63Tu engine, as well as how they work together.